Stillers vs. Ravens Pregame Analysis (Game #7 , vs. Balt.)
The 4-2 Stillers host the 2-4 Baltimore Ravens in a primetime
MNF matchup on Halloween.�
* When the Ravens have the ball, they'll be led
in considerably obvious disarray by former Stiller scrubeenie Anthony
Wright.� Not much needs be said here;
Wright is at the bottom of the QB barrel, and behind him, with Kyle Boller
hobbled, is -- hold your laughter -- Kordell Stewart.�
With such inept quarterbacking, the Ravens have to run the
ball.� They had high hopes with the
return of RB Jamal Lewis.� However,
Jailbird Jamal has been entirely ineffective, rushing for a mere 2.9
yards/carry.� Perhaps it's the rust that
accumulated from the time off behind bars, or maybe, every time Jamal bends
over in a 3-point stance, it's merely the bad memories of late night applications
of Vaseline, but at any rate, The Jailbird ain't getting' it done this season
thus far.� Actually, backup Chester
Taylor has been quietly effective, rushing for an impressive 6 yards per carry.� �FB Alan
"Jean Luc" Ricard is gone for the season with a bum calf and backup
Ovie Mughelli (no relation to Still Ovie on the Stillers.com message board) is
hobbled with a bad ankle, leaving the FB chores to rookie Justin Green.�
The Poebirds had earnestly planned for a boosted passing
attack in the offseason, snaring Mark Clayton in the 1st round out of
Oklahoma.� But Clay has done little, and
he's hobbled to boot.� The BlackBirds
also added ever-so-dangerous Derrick Mason to the squad, giving them a
top-caliber threat.� Mase has given it a
go, but crippled by a team that has no legitimate NFL QB and no threat opposite
him, Mase has been pretty quiet thus far. �He has a lot of grabs, but most of 'em have been the nickel &
dime variety, and he's hit paydirt only once thus far.� Todd Heap is at or near the top of the heap,
no pun intended, at the TE spot.� He's
having another splendid season and, interesting enough, Stiller fans can only
hope that the promising and talented Heath Miller continues to develop into a
Heap-like TE.�
The Raven O-line is experienced and capable, though not a
dominant force.� Jon Ogden leads this
crew from his LT spot, though age and injury have slowed him down some.� �Old
warhorses Ed Mulitalo and Mike Flynn work at LG and center.� Former Stiller Key Vincent mans the RG spot,
with the ever-volatile Big Orlando Brown working the RT spot.� To be sure, this line is huge, with the
converse that they are entirely slow and plodding, hampered by age and ballooning
girths.� ��
The Stiller defense is returning to a modicum of health
after surviving a horrendous rash of injuries.�
OLB Clark Haggans will be back in the starting lineup, and CB Deshea
Townsend appears ready to play full tilt.�
The key matchup will be Todd Heap and Derrick
Mason against the Stiller defense.� Both
have had previous success against the Stillers, and it doesn't seem that the
Raven running game will do much at all.�
If you're a flustered, harassed Wright, you're going to at least toss
the ball at these 2 ultra-reliable veterans and hope that they can make some
plays on the scattershot passes.�
* When the Stillers have the ball, they'll
be humming from the very productive outing last week in Cinci.� Roth showed no effects from his banged-up
knee, and the ground game clicked on all cylinders in the beatdown of the
Bungals.�
It wasn't all that long ago that the Raven defense was among
the most vaunted in NFL history.�
Unfortunately for the Poe Birds, those days are long gone, as this
defense, even when healthy, is a shadow of its former self.�
The D-line sports DE Tony Weaver, NT Ma'ake Kemoeatu
(brother of Stiller benchwarmer Chris Kemo), and DE Kelly Greg.� Kemo is a big boy, especially at 350 pounds,
but he's too tall (6' 4"-6' 5") for the NT spot and isn't a leverage
champ against the better centers around the league.� Greg is nothing above ordinary, although Weaver is a hoss that
must be dealt with on each and every play.�
Weaver's been hobbled with a toe injury, though, and may only get
platoon work with unheralded backups Jarret Johnson or Dwan Edwards.�
The LB corps is typically led by Ray Lewis, but RayRay will
sit this one out due to injury.� In his
place will be undersized weakside OLB Tommy Polley, who will, appropriately
enough, spend Halloween night masquerading as an NFL inside LB.� Polley was a flop with the Rams, and now
will have the unenviable task of playing totally out of place as a MLB against
a smashmouth offense that loves nothing more than to blast FB Dan Kreider into
the scrum to lead a punishing ground game.�
Adalius Thomas is a very solid, steady veteran at one OLB spot, with the
talented and dangerous Terrell Suggs working as an OLB/DE.� Former standout Peter Boulware has been
relegated to very light, infrequent spot duty.�
The Raven secondary is led by its corners, Chris McAllister
and Somari Rolle.� It's reasonable to
state that this tandem is one of the top 4 starting CB duos in the NFL.� The problem for the Birds is the safety
spot, especially with all-world SS Ed Reed sitting out with an ankle injury.� Chad Williams starts in place of Reed, which
is akin to, say, replacing Peyton Manning with Tommy Maddox.� What really hampers the Raven defense
without Reed is the ability to bring Reed up, similar to Polamalu, as an extra
LB of sorts to bottle the opposing ground game.� Will Demps serves as the FS.�
��
The key matchup will be RT Maxwell Starks against Weaver
and LT M. Smith against Terrell Suggs.�
The Stillers should easily jam the ball down the throats of the
BrownRavens.� The concern is in the
passing game, which won't be needed all that much, but when the Stillers do
pass, they cannot allow Weaver and Suggs to come into the backfield unmolested
and then rape & pillage Roethlisberger.�
* Special Teams: �Dave Zastudil handles the punting chores for Balt, with ageless
veteran Matt Stover capably handling the placekicking.� BJ Sams gives the Ravens a flammable threat as
a punt and KO returner.� The Stiller STs
have been unusually steady as of late, although they're usually capable of
self-imploding at any moment.�
Key Individual Matchups:
* Tommy Polley vs. Jeff Hartings or Dan Kreider.�� Both Hart and Krei will be licking their
chops at the prospects of bulldozing Little Tommy Boy.� In fact, it's plausible that Hartings and
Kreider will get into arguments in the huddle as to who gets the next crack at
the twerpy linebacker.�
* WR Derrick Mason versus CBs Ike Taylor, B. McFadden or
DeShea Townsend.� I've long held high
esteem for Mase, a gritty gamer that possesses high amounts of toughness,
savvy, quickness, and route-running.� Chad
Johnson is more talented than Mase, but make no mistake about it, Mase, because
of his veteran savvy and toughness, is an equally tough assignment.� I doubt the Stillers will isolate Ike Taylor
exclusively on Mase, so any CB in the game will have to bring his 'A' game when
facing Mase.�
* OLB Joey Porter vs. LT Jon Ogden.� Porter has been far too quiet this season.� Ogden is past his zenith, but still better
than most LTs.� Porter has got to do
something more than just dance with Big Jon.�
* Synopsis: For the second consecutive year,
the Stillers get to play host on Halloween night.� The Ratbirds will sell out as best they can to stop the run, but
the combination of a totally inept offense and a subpar run-stuffing defense
makes this tilt heavily tilted in favor of the Stillers.� Look for plenty of smashmouth running by the
Stillers, as well as an overwhelming defensive vice grip on the woeful Balt
offense.� The Stillers will haunt,
stomp, and shoo away the scared Poe Birds, treating them to a thorough 30-13
Halloween beating.��